Good Morning Friends across the wild world of Locals! Merry Christmas one final time Phamily, Refugees, Triggeratti, Early Birds, Dawn Patrol, Fascinating People, Beautiful Bigots, Conversants, Lurkers and all of our Digital Neighbors!🎄🎅🎄
As the season ends in Cath-O-land, it is in invitation to look back on these 15 days. It seems rather opposite of the experience of cultural Christmas when we start anticipating and pre-celebrating the holiday in October. By the time it arrives, ours minds are often tired of the season or at least disappointed that the experience of the day does not match its hype. Not only that, but we know that Christmas is often freighted with too much emotional drama and too much temptation for the great unspokens in family history or other relationships to be mentioned. Things better left to therapy often get two glasses of wine and a "by the way . . . " Hilarity ensues. Or not. The walking on eggshells often gives way to the breaking down of walls but not the healing of wounds or real clearing of the air.
It doesn't always have to be that experience, if you have had something like that for many Christmases, but change is difficult and if you change you may find yourself even more of a pariah in family circles. Alternatively, one other family member might share your reassessment and join your on the path to recovery. Better to be alone or with a few healthier individuals than to participate in systems of unaddressed turmoil. Crappy relationships are not better than being alone, finding healthy relationships is always a possibility. It might be a support group, people joined by a common hobby or whatever, but finding people of trust, vulnerability and friendship is possible no matter how marginalized you may think you are. Some suggestions for Christmas 2022. Merry Christmas my friends.
CHRISTMAS GIFT SUGGESTIONS
To your enemy, forgiveness
To an opponent, tolerance
To a friend, your heart
To a customer, service
To all, charity
To every child, a good example
To yourself, respect
— Oren Arnold
Winter Barn - Zimmerman road in Traverse City Michigan.
